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Human Resources: Salaries and Projected Growth

Human Resources: Salaries and Projected Growth

Date: October 19, 2016 Author: Saint Mary's University of Minnesota University Services HR Management

October 19, 2016

University Services HR Management

Updated 07/14/2025

The average salary for someone with a master’s in human resources is about 21 percent higher than for bachelor’s degree graduates in this field.1,2 If you’re considering the human resource career path, the outlook for advancing your career is quite favorable. Human resources are essential to the function of most organizations. What’s more, large and mid-size companies seek to hire candidates with a wide range of experience and expertise. This makes earning an advanced degree a worthy investment if you want to move your career forward and earn a higher salary.

From 2023 to 2033, human resource management employment is projected to grow 6 percent, higher than the national average of 4 percent. Demand in this field is expected to remain strong because “more of these workers are needed to help meet strategic organizational priorities,” according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.3

Ready to advance your human resources career?

The online master’s in human resource management degree  from Saint Mary’s lets you develop leadership skills and management expertise in budgeting, communication, strategy, and ethics.

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The Earning Potential in Human Resources

In May 2024, the median human resources manager salary was $140,030 per year, with the top 10 percent of salaries exceeding $239,000.3 Related roles also offer competitive median salaries, such as:

  • Human resources specialist: $72,910 per year4
  • Compensation and benefits manager: $140,360 per year5

Payscale data in 2025 showed that senior HR directors earned about 36 percent more than senior HR managers and 126 percent more than entry-level HR generalists.6,7,8 Note that studies have shown benefits for HR professionals who specialize in particular areas, as SHRM found the following:

“Pay levels for skilled experts in non-management, advisory-level jobs often equal or exceed pay for first-level leadership positions. In critical job functions, often companies will pay advisory-level employees at market rates close to or above supervisor and manager-level positions.”9

HR professionals can also boost their earning potential by earning a master’s degree. As of May 2025, the average master’s in human resources salary was $86,000 per year compared to $71,000 for someone who only had a bachelor’s degree.1,2

Additional Human Resources Career Paths

Careers in human resources touch various aspects of organizations, with many specialized areas for professionals to consider. Some rewarding roles related to human resources include:

Training and Development Manager

Needed in nearly every industry, training and development managers oversee professional development initiatives for team members throughout an organization. The median annual salary for this role was $127,090 in May 2024.10

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Specialist

Professionals in this role contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and measure their effectiveness.11 In May 2025, the average annual salary for entry-level DEI specialist positions was $62,733.12

Health and Benefits Consultant

By pursuing roles in this category, you can assist partnerships with organizations offering a variety of employee benefits, such as health insurance and retirement savings plans. As of May 2025, the average salary for health and benefits consultants was $69,234 per year.13

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Coordinator

Professionals in this role collaborate with human resources teams to connect employees with counseling and measure the efficacy of initiatives.14 In April 2025, the median pay for employee assistance program coordinators was $64,000 annually.15

Conflict Manager

Working in conflict management involves the resolution of disagreements within an organization or group.16 The average annual salary for conflict managers was $81,677 in May 2025.17

Mediator

Similar to conflict managers, mediators apply specialized skills to find mutually beneficial compromises for two or more parties involved in disputes. Note that some states require mediators to have additional licensure or certification.18 Entering this field opens the door to roles with an average annual salary of $87,671 in April 2025.19

Pursuing a Human Resources Graduate Degree

If you’re thinking about getting an online master’s in human resources, consider the online Master’s in Human Resource Management from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. The curriculum aligns with SHRM’s Human Resources Curriculum Guidebook and Templates, and the coursework helps you prepare for HRCI and SHRM certification.

While studying human resources with Saint Mary’s, you’ll develop leadership skills and management expertise in budgeting, communication, strategy, and ethics. Throughout the program, you’ll learn from practicing professionals who apply knowledge and skills from their experience while teaching the courses.

To learn more about the online Master’s in Human Resource Management from Saint Mary’s, call 877-308-9954 or request more information.

Sources

  1. Payscale. “Bachelor of Science (BS / BSc), Human Resources Management (HRM) Degree.” April 30, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Degree=Bachelor_of_Science_(BS_%2F_BSc)%2C_Human_Resources_Management_(HRM)/Salary.
  2. Payscale. “Master’s Degree, Human Resources Management (HRM) Degree.” September 13, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Degree=Master%27s_Degree%2C_Human_Resources_Management_(HRM)/Salary.
  3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Human Resources Managers.” April 18, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/human-resources-managers.htm.
  4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Human Resources Specialists.” April 18, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/human-resources-specialists.htm.
  5. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Compensation and Benefits Managers.” April 18, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/compensation-and-benefits-managers.htm.
  6. Payscale. “Average Senior HR Director Salary.” May 4, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Senior_HR_Director/Salary.
  7. Payscale. “Average Sr. Human Resources (HR) Manager Salary.” May 14, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Sr._Human_Resources_(HR)_Manager/Salary.
  8. Payscale. “Average Human Resources (HR) Generalist Salary.” May 14, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Human_Resources_(HR)_Generalist/Salary.
  9. SHRM. “HR Compensation: It Pays to Specialize.” July 22, 2011. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/benefits-compensation/hr-compensation-pays-to-specialize.
  10. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Training and Development Managers.” April 18, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/training-and-development-managers.htm.
  11. Odisho, T. Senior Executive. “Diversity and Inclusion Jobs.” March 27, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://seniorexecutive.com/diversity-and-inclusion-jobs/.
  12. Salary.com. “DEI Specialist I Salary in the United States.” May 1, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.salary.com/research/salary/alternate/dei-specialist-i-salary.
  13. ZipRecruiter. “Health Benefits Consultant Salary.” May 20, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Health-Benefits-Consultant-Salary.
  14. SHRM. “Employee Assistance Program Coordinator.” November 16, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/tools/job-descriptions/employee-assistance-program-coordinator.
  15. Glassdoor. “How much does an Eap Coordinator make?” April 10, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/eap-coordinator-salary-SRCH_KO0,15.htm.
  16. StatPearls. “Conflict Management.” July 3, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470432/.
  17. ZipRecruiter. “Conflicts Manager Salary.” May 20, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Conflicts-Manager-Salary.
  18. ZipRecruiter. “What Is a Mediator and How to Become One.” n.d. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.ziprecruiter.com/career/Mediator/What-Is-How-to-Become#What-Are-Mediators.
  19. Payscale. “Average Mediator Salary.” April 2, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Mediator/Salary.
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